Consumer price index, all-items, Canada

The consumer price index, all-items, measures the cost of a fixed basket of goods and services bought by Canadian households. Statistics Canada publishes it monthly, about three weeks after the month ends; the series here is the national index, not seasonally adjusted, with 2002 set to 100.

It is the reference price index in Canada. The Bank of Canada's inflation target is defined on its 12-month change, federal benefits such as the Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security are indexed to it, and many wage settlements and rental agreements refer to it. Lenders set it against interest rates to see whether borrowing costs are positive in real terms.

Use it for comparisons with the same month in earlier years, or as the base for the 12-month rate on the CPI inflation page. Changes from one month to the next are distorted by seasonal patterns, from winter travel to summer gasoline, and Statistics Canada publishes a separately adjusted series for that purpose. The basket weights are updated regularly to reflect current spending, and some components, such as mortgage interest cost, move with interest rates themselves, so a Bank of Canada rate increase can push measured inflation up for a time.

Consumer price index, all-items is at its highest since the series starts in January 2006. Within ten years, consumer price index, all-items beats 100% of readings.

CPI all-items, Canada, not seasonally adjusted.

Statistics Canada publishes consumer price index, all-items monthly in Table 18-10-0004-01, in index (2002 = 100) and is not seasonally adjusted. Code: 18100004:2.2. Method for consumer price index, all-items.